Sheet glass apparatus



' May 12, v192 1. J. A. REE E 1,805,260

SHEET GLASS APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1927 E :1. r:; l

/7 gwuentoz J'ose Jh H. Reece /6 alien veg Federated lvilay l2,

orricn SHEET GLASS? Applieation died July it The present invention relates to sheet glass apparatus.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for 5 the production of sheet glass wherein molten glass is flowed or drawn downwardly sheet "orm and passed between suitable members to reduce the sheet to a predetermined and uniform thicmess.

Another object of the invention is to provide in sheet glass apparatus, a slab down which molten glass is permitted to flow to form a sheet, the sheet, after it has been formed, passing between rotatable members is which are adapted to reduce said sheet to a predetermined and uniform thickness.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this nature including a slab having a molten glass receiving an trough formed in its upper end whereby molten glass may be deposited within said trough and permitted to overflow the sides thereof whereby the glass flows down the opposite converging sides of the slab in film 25 formations which unite at the bottom of the slab. to form a single sheet, the apparatus also including a pair of rolls arranged in proximity to the lower end of the slab and adapted to form a pass through which the go sheet passes uniform predetermined thickness.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when as taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawin 's wherein like numerals are employed to deslgnate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of a machine illustrating my invention,

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a part of 45 the structural details, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section illustrating a modified form of machine.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 5o designates the exit end of a tank furnace to be reduced to afiat sheet of lily]. Serial He. $66,145..

adapted to contain a mass of suitably refined molten glass c. A discharge lip 7 is associated with the end of the tank 5, and testes above a slab 8 which may be adjustably mounted if desired. The slab Sis preferably provided with a troughed top 9 for receiving a mass of molten glass 19 resulting from the flow 11 passing from the furnace over the lip 7, An adjustable gate member 12 may be arranged as shown to control the flow of glass as passing into the trough 9. The slab 8 is preferably arranged in a temperature controlled compartment l3.

will be seen thatthe sides of the slab d converge toward the bottom it so that as t5 the glass flows into the trough 9 it will, after a suitable amount has been introduced, overflow the ed es of the trough and pass down the sides of the slab, in ii formations 15, The s of glass 15 unite at the bottom or to lower edge of the slab to form a gle sheet 16.

Arranged in proximity to the lower end of the slab 1% is a pair of preferably positively driven rolls 1?. The rolls it" maybe formed Kt from any suitable noncorrosiye alloy and may he either heated or cooledas desired, such as by passing a suitable temperature control medium through the bore of said rolls.

in Fig. 3 is illustrated one form of mountan ing and operating mechanism which ay be used for supporting'and driving the rolls l7. As shown, one of the rolls 17 is journaled in a fixed bracket 18, while the second roll is carried by' a support 19 movably associated as with the bracket 18. An adjusting mechanism 20 is provided to control the distance between the rolls. The spring 21 is provided to normally urge the rolls toward each other but is of such a nature that the rolls can be to separated to permit the passage of clay, etc. that may possibly find-its way down to the rolls from the furnace, thuspreventing damage to the rolls. The rolls. each have associated therewith a gear'22 and the gears may e5 mesh as illustrated so that the rolls will be rotated in opposite directions, the teeth of the gears being suficiently long to permit adjustment of the rolls without throwing said gears out of mesh. Obviously, an independ- 10a ant gear and drive therefor can be associated with each roll, if v desired.

In operation, the molten glass is suitably grepared in the furnace 5 and permitted to ow upon the slab 8 'in a manner that the films may flow down the opposite sides of the slab to be united at the lower edge thereof. The rolls 17 may be draw the sheet from the'bottom o the'slab orthe sheet may be permitted to flow 'and merel be flattened or reduced to a predetermine thickness as it passes between said rolls. It will be understood from Fi 2 that therolls extendentirely across the s eat and in contact therewith so that the finished sheet will have a thickness dependent upon the s ace between the rolls as shown in Fig. 1. uy suitable conveying means maylbe used to take care of the sheet after it as passed between the rolls 17.

' Particularl .in the production of plate glass where ass sheets are ground and olished, it is esirable to use a .sheet whic is as flat as possible to minimize the amount of work required for the rinding operation. By using the rolls 17 as ustrated, the sheet is made flat before it has had a chance to become set, so that subse uent grinding and polishing can be accomphshed in a minimum of time. Although, I refer that the rolls 17 be highly polished, t e may-be rough or relatively rough if desired.

In Fig. 4 is lllustrated a modified construction adapted for the production of so-called wire glass. In this embodiment of the invention a roll of wire fabric 23 may be mounted upon a suitable shaft 24 above the compartment 13, the mesh passing through an opening 25 and. between thetwo sections 26 and 27, respectively, comprising the slab. In Fig. 1, t e slab is formed in an integral structure, while in'Fig. 4, the slab is formed in two sections to permit the passage of the wire mesh therethrou h. 0 course, each section of the slab wil be rovided with a trough for receiving the ass, the troughs communicating at their emfs so that there will be a suitable source of supply of molten glass for flowing down the side of eachsection. At the bottom of the slab the wire mesh will emerge and receive a film of glass on each side, after which the combined structure will pass between sizing rolls 28.

As stated above, the rolls ma be used to positively draw the films from t e bottom of the slab in sheet form, and to flatten the same, or the molten glass may be flowed from the slab' and reduced in thickness by said rolls. In the latter instance, thesheet will be relatively thicker before it passes between the rolls than after.

Although but a single set of rolls are illustrated, a plurality of sets or pairs of rolls 5 may be used.

operated to fositively It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjomed claims.

Claims:

1. In sheet glass apparatus, a substantially vertically arranged slab composed of two adjacent sections having a vertlcal openin therebetween, each section having a trou E in its upper end and the opposite ends of t e troughs of the two sections communicating with one another, means for flowing glass into one of said troughs from where a portion of it will ass into the other trough, the glass flowin rom the troughs downwardly over the sla to form a sheet, and means for passing a wire mesh downwardly through the opgning between the slab sections.

2. sheet glass apparatus, a substantially vertically arranged slab composed of two adjacent sections hav' a vertical openin therebetween, each sectlon having a trou g in its upper end and the opposite ends of t e troughs of the two sections communicating with one another, means for flowing glass into one of said troughs from where a portion of it will ass into the other trough, the glass flowing rom the troughs downwardly over'the slab to form a shee means for passing a wire mesh downwardly through the opening between the slab sections, and a air of rolls for reducing the sheet to the deslred thickness as it leaves said slab.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 12th day of July,

1927. JOSEPH A. REECE.

the flattening and 

